(2018-11-16) Operation Kitty Kat
Vic and Willow discuss Katherine's case, Thanksgiving dates, and rainbow unicorns.

Vic is doing much better today. She still craves a drink with every cell in her body, but the detox side effects have passed. She's still feeling drained and tired, though, so she hasn't gone downstairs to the office. Instead, she's at her murder-board in her apartment, in comfy clothes, with a cup of coffee in hand. Willow may have had a bit of a startle yesterday morning when she found a sleeping Calvin in PJs and bandaged knuckles on Vic's couch, but Vic made no mention of it.

The murder-board is covered in information for Katherine's case, from the location of the accident, the route the family had driven, possible routes of the driver who killed them, data on when and where the truck was stolen from. She has a list set up to check medical records at hospitals and clinics, as well as rehab centers within 10 miles of the collision, and to re-interview the rightful owner of the truck that was stolen.

Willow was very surprised to find Calvin on the couch…he was in her bed!! When not cleaning puke covered clothes, mopping up puke, smiling pleasantly while learning new swear words from Vic, or reheating meals from Katherine that will become puke, Willow has continued to redecorate. Very proud of the unicorn on a rainbow that now adorns the office wall. She still doesn't know where those 'Hang In There' posters keep disappearing, but she can't afford anymore at the moment.

Willow heads up to the apartment, a bag of fresh pastries in her hand. Their sweet aroma filling the air through the paper. "Isn't it a beautiful day" she beams; she wears fluffy boots, tights, short shorts, and a t-shirt (with 'I love my dick' and the Grey Investigations phone number on it). Her huge ex-army jacket downstairs. "Oh…is that Katherine's case? I have an idea about that. Got us some yummies too."

"That it is," Vic murmurs, standing in front of the board with her free arm tucked around herself. She has on sweats and a hoodie with slippers. "I'm pretty sure any hallucinations from detox stopped a few days ago, so where did that unicorn and rainbow in the office come from?" she asks with a smirk, glancing over at her erstwhile assistant. "What ideas did you have on the case?"

"Do you like it?" Willow asks excitedly about the rainbow and unicorn combo. "I think it will really bring a magic to the office. A winter wonderland outside, a detective wonderland inside. Where people will feel safe and free to talk." A nod to herself about how right she is before remembering about the case. "Oh, when it happened a couple of years back, I was still doing lots of car theft. I thought about it, but I didn't steal the vehicle in question, but I probably know the person who did. If they were regulars. Only thirty thousand people in this town, car thieves knew each other."

"It is fine for a pediatrician's office or a preschool. Wil, not my office. The clients need confidence in my ability to be an adult, so that's gonna need to go. Ok?" Vic tries to be kind as she explains, even though she feels like screaming. The booze craving is strong when she's stressed. "No wall art unless it's proper boring office paintings you get at Bed, bath, and Beyond or what not. Ok? And let's keep the eye-searing colors to the teal wall."

The information about Willow's thieving contacts has the detective frowning but looking curious at the same time. "All right. Can you talk to your people and find out if anyone promised them a truck of that make a model back then, and never delivered? Or talked about the crazy wreck they had trying to get it to a chop shop?"

Willow is devastated to hear that her work of art is to be destroyed. There is even bottom lip trembling. "Oh…okay. You're the boss." Big eyes pleading with Vic for a moment. "I'll deal with it." The smile is back! "They're not really 'my people'. I haven't stolen a car in, like, years, but this happened when I was in the game. I'll see who I can find and ask them about it. Their memories improve with cash. Have you found that? But I will try my charms first. Have a pastry. Are you feeling okay?"

"Do that, but be careful, all right?" Vic says to the girl with a grimace. She nods to the pastry though, pulling out a chair at the table by the board and sinking down into it. "What did you bring me? I'm holding down everything I eat now at least. I think Pukemageddon is over."

"I am /really/ glad to hear that" Willow replies about the puke. No more soaking clothes and having to use the washing machine at the far end of the laundry! "You look great. Much better than I've ever seen you. Sobriety agrees with you…and maybe something else?" A wiggle of her eyebrows as she rips open the paper to reveal some Bear Claws. "Would you like any syrup? So, what are your thoughts on the Katherine Case? We really need a better name for that. Operation Kitty Kat?"

"I'm going to pay a visit to some doctors with photos of the wreck and ask their opinions on what sort of injuries the truck driver is likely to have gotten. Then I'm going to try and match those to ER admissions and emergency clinics and the like. I'm moving out further than the cops would have. I suspect the driver may have been impaired, and some drugs might have let them walk ten miles for help," Vic explains. She snorts at the 'something else' comment. "Nothing going on, Wil. I think if he was interested in me like that, he'd have said something by now. Cal has his own issues he's working through. I'm just being the best friend I can be to him. He's probably saved my life with this intervention of his." She takes a bear claw, declining syrup.

"He wouldn't have intervened if he didn't care" Willow points out with a soft smile. "I mean, sure, he slept on the couch but that just means he cares about you so much that he didn't want to be seen as taking advantage of you in your state. Or you of him in his state, if he also has a state that is not good. I'm not sure about states. California seems nice. Sunny at least." She nods along to how a professional detective is approaching the case. Much better than she was. "It's a shame it was so long ago."

"No, he had a bad night and I made him stay here on the couch to keep an eye on him, myself." Vic smiles a tiny bit though. Watching the bear of a man sleeping off his crying jag on her couch was kind of adorable. "And medical records are forever, memories maybe not so much. We'll get there through. Katherine and her sisters need some closure. I never got any of my own, so I know how they feel." She sips her coffee and nibbles on the bear claw, waiting between bites to make sure her stomach is accepting of the treat.

"Bad night? Oh…with the drinking and the drugging and the music and all that." Willow nods in understanding before gesturing pulling a zip across her lips…and then back the other way. "You know that zipping up your mouth would really make it hard to breathe. No one thinks of these things." Willow's appetite is as voracious as ever. "What happened with you? Wasn't it solved?"

"Nope, case was never solved, just went cold. I wasn't allowed to investigate due to being related to the victim so," Vic shrugs over her coffee mug. "I ended up quitting the force because of it, started drinking because of it too. Dad hasn't really spoken to me since either. I am kind of an asshole when I'm drunk," she points out.

"Nah, you're not an asshole. You were more…invigorating. I certainly learned how to move quicker" Willow giggles. "You're not on the Force now. Why don't you look into it? Oh…I know…I can do it! It will be my Christmas present to you?" Because she could solve it before then…easy. "In addition to the Christmas gift I already got you. But I'm not telling." A wink for her boss. "Are you and Calvin having Thanksgiving together?"

"No Willow!" Vic snaps suddenly and uncharacteristically. "No looking into Evan's murder. I might, someday, but not you. It's too dangerous. The last leads the cops had was that it was a professional hitman, and that means it was likely organized crime related. So no poking your nose into that." She lets out a breath, shoulders slumping. "Sorry, it's a touchy thing for me. I was a cop a long time; I can accept danger to myself, but not to you, ok?" At the question about Calvin and the mention of presents, she just blinks owlishly at her assistant.

Willow starts at the outburst. A panicked look on her face at the emotion thrown at her. That has certainly hit a raw nerve. "Okay. I won't" she promises, trembling a little, and then moving in to give her boss a hug of condolence and sympathy. Her smile is back when she leans back from the cuddle…probably for her benefit as much as anything Vic would get out of it. "We could have a Thanksgiving dinner here if you like. Invite Calvin along." Vic's non-response just meant she needed more options…right?

"Calvin is very close to his family; I'm sure he has plans with them. I haven't really celebrated the holidays much," at all, "since Evan died. I just haven't had much holiday spirit I guess. But we can do a little something here for you and I if you have no one else to spend it with?" she offers.

"Then we need to get the spirit back into you" Willow smiles warmly. "Umm…not alcoholic spirit. That would be bad. You know what I mean. Have you got Calvin a Christmas present yet? You should definitely get him one. And maybe for his family too. They were the people at the fire, right? But, if no one wants obviously awesome people like us, we can do something together. I'd like that."

All the talk of Calvin and family is making Vic's head hurt. "All right, make me a grocery list. I am not much of a cook though so, I'll shop for it if you cook it. Or maybe we can see if Katherine is making dinners we can just bring here and pop in an oven." She finishes her pastry and coffee and stands. "I'm gonna go take a nap. I'm stupid levels of tired without booze, go figure," she mutters. She trudges off to get some zzzzs.
